Nourishing Your New Lifestyle: 6 Plant-Centered Eating Tips After Weight Loss Surgery

February 3, 2025

Becky asked me if it’s possible to eat plant-based after metabolic and bariatric surgery, and if so, how do you meet your protein needs? Does a plant-centered lifestyle work for bariatric surgery? Yes, plant-based eating after surgery can work, but it does take a bit more effort on your part depending on what plant-based option you choose. This is not a one-size-fits all answer.

Plant-based is not the same as vegetarian. A vegetarian diet is one option for plant-based eating but not the only one. In fact, there are at least six plant-based options.

Six Plant-Centered Options for a Bariatric Lifestyle

The strictest of all plant-based options in that animal and animal by-products are restricted. So all protein must come from plant protein, including veggies, fruit, legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains, tofu, falafel (which is made from chickpeas or fava beans), tempeh (made from fermented soybeans), and imitation meat items such as vegan meatballs or black bean burgers.

In addition to the non-animal protein sources just mentioned in the vegan lifestyle, eggs are also included.

Adds dairy to the vegan lifestyle, typically including yogurt, cheese, and milk.

As you can easily guess, includes both dairy and eggs with the vegan protein sources.

Includes fish and other seafood and may or may not include eggs and/or dairy, so it could be lacto-pescatarian, ovo-pescatarian, or both.

Tries to avoid animal products but doesn't totally restrict them.

If you want to eat more plant-based, which of these six options appeals to you? Consider that the more restricted the option, the more effort it will take for you to meet your protein needs. I have concerns about a highly restricted plant-centered diet (vegan) after bariatric surgery. When you restrict animal protein sources, you have to get your protein somewhere, which now means from plant sources. My first concern is that plants are higher in carbs, so they will automatically push your carb intake up. This higher carb intake can lead to dumping syndrome, especially if you’re not eating smart carbs that are high in fiber, low in sugar, and higher in plant protein.

If you’re consuming slider foods that are very low in protein, low in fiber, and high in processed carbs with zero nutrition benefits, dumping syndrome can become an issue quickly.

A mainly plant-centered diet doesn’t provide you with that same feeling of fullness or satiety that animal protein does. It’s easy to start taking in more calories since you will need more carbs and more variety of smart carbs to meet your daily protein needs. These additional calories from carbs may or may not make you feel full and can actually lead to weight regain.

Choosing to include eggs or dairy or both, or fish and seafood, or all of these into a plant-based lifestyle can make it much easier on you to plan day-to-day. Plus, it’s easier to get high-quality protein with fewer carbs and feel more full.

If you follow a plant-based lifestyle, follow these six tips:

1. If you have a bariatric dietitian that you can consult as part of your surgical team, do so. Share with your dietitian what you want to do and get help to prepare a well-thought-out plan based on your preferences as to whether you plan to include animal sources and which ones.

2. If you restrict all animal protein, you will need to consume a variety of plant-based protein such as chickpeas, lentils, beans, peas, and soy-based products. These may make you feel some bloat or distention in your gut, so be aware of this. Start with smaller portions and see how you do, as some of these carbs can cause gas and discomfort. This is why you want to work closely with your dietitian and focus on foods that will cause less gas buildup.

3. Try plant-based protein shakes to help fill in the gap on occasion. Look for products that provide a mixture of different sources of plant protein, such as hemp, pea, and rice, to ensure that you’re getting a variety of amino acids.

4. Plant proteins (except for soy/edamame) are incomplete, meaning they do not contain all of the essential amino acids your body needs. If you do not consume animal products, you need to mix it up and combine different plant proteins in order to consume all the essential amino acids your body requires.

5. Be sure and take your bariatric multivitamin-mineral supplement along with any additional supplements that your dietitian may suggest. Depending on your plant-based lifestyle option, you may need omega-3 fats from supplements or from plant sources such as walnuts or flaxseed. Vitamin D and calcium can be of concern if you’re not consuming dairy, so they will need to come from supplements or foods fortified with them. Vitamin B-12 is found in animal sources only, so it should be in your multivitamin-mineral supplement and/or in fortified foods such as dairy alternatives, for example. If you’re taking iron, be sure and separate it from your calcium supplement by a couple of hours.

6. Track your food for a few days. Concerned about your macro and vitamin/mineral intake? Track your food for a few days on and off to see how consistent you are with your protein and vitamin/mineral needs. Try apps such as Baritastic or My Fitness Pal, or Lose it.

If you want to eat a plant-centered lifestyle, which option will work best for you? All of the options along with the regular bariatric high protein diet include plants, vegetables, fruit, whole grains, etc. These plants play a fabulous role in the body to help prevent inflammation and disease. If you choose an option that is more restrictive, spend time with your dietitian for guidance and answers to your specific needs.

Bariatric dietitian Dr. Susan Mitchell is host of the podcast Bariatric Surgery Success.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Bariatric dietitian Dr. Susan Mitchell is host of the podcast Bariatric Surgery Success. Selected as one of the Best 35 Dietitian Podcasts, Bariatric Surgery Success was chosen from thousands of podcasts on the web ranked by traffic, social media followers, domain authority, and freshness. With a focus on nutrition before and after bariatric surgery, I help you eat for success while you conquer cravings, emotional eating, and weight regain.

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